As part of Japan’s new pledge in support of the South Sudanese people, which was announced at the High-Level Event on the Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan in Nairobi, on 9 February, 2015, Japan has confirmed a contribution of US $2.5 million for the mine action project, “Creation of quick response capacity and provision of support to the Japanese Engineering Contingent”. During the last three years, Japan’s contribution to mine action operations in South Sudan has exceeded US $10 million.
Since the current conflict started in December 2013, the security situation has remained fragile and sporadic violence still occurs in some areas. Explosive ordnance and ammunition have been used in the fighting, posing a significant threat to the civilian population. Even prior to the present conflict, communities suffered from the threat of explosives and landmines as a result of decades of civil war.
The new contribution and support from the people of Japan will enable UNMAS to establish Quick Response Teams and Explosive Detection Dog teams. They will conduct activities to provide an explosive-free safe environment to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The Quick Response Teams will conduct emergency response to reports of explosive items, conduct surveys and clearance of explosive remnants of war, and provide risk education to people at risk. The Explosive Detection Dog Teams will provide explosive/weapons search capacity at entrances to and inside such facilities as UN camps, Protection of Civilians sites and other relevant places. The teams will also support the infrastructure construction and rehabilitation activities of the Japanese Engineering Contingent in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Ambassador of Japan to South Sudan, Mr. Takeshi Akamatsu stated, "As the chair of the Mine Action Support Group since 2014, Japan has strongly committed to make every effort to support mine action activities globally and is concerned about the threat caused by explosive remnants of war in South Sudan, which are threatening lives and hampering the ability of aid agencies to deliver their services to vulnerable people and promote the socio-economic development of the country. We hope that the support from the Japanese people will contribute to creating a safe and secure environment free from the threat of explosives for people in South Sudan. This is the sixteenth year since the Anti-Personnel Landmine Convention went into force on 1 March 1999, and we support UNMAS in continuing their work and leadership in the international community to help create an explosive-free
environment.”
Mr. Lance Malin, UNMAS South Sudan Programme Manager, stressed the importance of the support from Japan. "Taking this opportunity, UNMAS would like to show our sincere appreciation for the generous and continuous support from the people of Japan to our clearance efforts in South Sudan. We admire Japan's strong initiative and moral support for global mine action activities as the current chair country of the Mine Action Support Group. This funding will be used to clear dangerous areas throughout the country including those from the current crisis, to create a safe environment for the South Sudanese people and humanitarian aid workers. UNMAS will also continue to work closely with the UNMISS Japanese Engineering Contingent in supporting their operations".
*Japan donated US $ 15 million to UN mine action globally. READ our Press Release: http://bit.ly/1F3wiPE
*Japan pledged US $ 88 million at the High-Level Event on Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan on 9 February in Nairobi.
